Everybody has a price
by RedHatMeg
Summary: Or how Ford got convinced to make a mind control tie.


**I was kinda imaginning Ford being captured and forced to do something for some evil-doers, and then this scenario popped out.**

 **This probably doesn't make much of sense character-wise... but I'd like to think this is what happened.**

 **Everybody has price**

They explained their cause to him very thoroughly. They thought that Ronald Reagan's ideas were crazy and ineffective, anyway. Whereas _they_ had a plan – a very good long-term plan to defeat USSR – this old enemy and rival of America and Free World in general. And they needed a president of United States to be their pawn, so they settled for a famous movie actor and helped him win the elections. But they also needed some way to control him, or else he would ruin everything.

And since Stanford Pines was so smart and interested in supernatural, he could as well give them what they needed.

He wasn't the only one, of course. He was one of the few scientists who were brought to Reagan's masters to create a perfect mind control device. Some of these scientists were held against their will; others were more than happy to help, either because of financial reason or because of their political views.

Ford was indifferent about the politics. All he ever wanted was to be left alone with his research. But Reagan's master captured him and demanded that he would cooperate with them. At first he was outraged by their actions, however, right after that he decided to be cautious. After all, he didn't know what his captors were capable of.

Once they've explained what they were expecting of him, Ford decided that he didn't like it even a bit. He didn't want to be part of this, oh no, not in million years! He even told them this.

And that was when their leader (or at least someone in higher management) came closer, leaned over tied-up Ford with a malicious smile and said:

"So you're an idealist, then? You have morals and you don't want to use your genius for evil?"

Now, when the man was so close to him, Ford tried to remain calm, no matter what was his predicament.

"Something like that." He replied.

"Well then…" The leader stopped smiling and looked at him intensively.

Ford started to have a bad feeling about this, but he was staring back, acting all confident and unmoved. Meanwhile his interlocutor turned his back on him and came to the big computer screen that was off for the most part of their conversation. But the man in charge clicked couple of buttons and the screen was turned on.

"Are you sure, doctor Pines," He began, gazing at Ford. "that there is no way to change your mind?"

"Yes." Stanford replied. "I won't work with you, no matter what you do."

Once this statement escaped his mouth, he regretted it. It was almost like invitation to some really creative tortures, like water boarding, bones breaking or electric shocks. He was almost expecting pain in the near future.

"Oh, really, doctor Pines?" The leader of Reagan's masters said and gave Ford another malicious smile. "Are you sure there is no way to convince you to work with us?"

With every second Ford grew more and more worried and scared, but he tried to not lose his composure. He had to stick with his decision.

"There is none." He said, almost exhaling these words. Then he looked at his captors with more stern gaze: "I'm sorry, but you have to find someone else. I don't want to have anything with this."

The leader smiled even wider.

"Oh, surely we can make you change your mind, doctor Pines. After all," He sat comfortably on the chair next to the computer. "there _has to_ be someone you love."

He clicked some buttons and the screen showed Pines' Pawns Shop in New Jersey. It made Ford sweat as a horrible realization hit him.

They knew where his home was.

"Someone you care about." The leader continued.

The image changed into Fiddleford McGucket doing something in his garage, unaware of being watched.

"Someone you wouldn't bare to lose."

While seeing the last image, Ford felt how his heart started to sink. Even though a lot of time passed since that night, he could still recognize the person on the screen. Over his red car, his twin brother, Stanley was looking through the engine with frustration.

So they managed to find even him? So even a constant traveler Stanley couldn't escape their eyes?

The man in charge turned off the screen and turned to Ford. He didn't have to add anything. The scientist understood the message: "You will work for us or your friends, family and everyone you ever cared about get hurt." This was even worse option than torture.

"So how it will be, doctor Pines?" The leader asked. "You will be cooperating? Or should we pay visit in some places?"

Ford was silent for a moment. The feeling of defeat quickly placed itself in his heart. He looked at his captors and with a weak voice said:

"I will do it."

The man in charge smiled again.

"I'm glad to hear it, doctor Pines."

And so Ford designed a mind controlling tie for Ronald Reagan's masters. They eventually found a better way to control their pawn and so they released Stanford along with his invention. They didn't even warned him to not tell anyone about them (probably assuming that no one will believe him anyway).

Later Ford kept the tie among his other inventions. Obviously, compared to a doomsday device that was the portal to Nightmare Realm, it was rather mild. Nevertheless, sometimes when Ford was looking at it, he couldn't help but remember that everybody has price.


End file.
